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- BETA PATCH 305
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2003-MAR-28

Major Fixes:
- We have fixed a bug that occasionally caused unit commands to be ignored
by the game. This most commonly occurred when attempting to use healing
spells while creeping, as the bug was related to adding units to a
selection group and then using an ability.

Item Changes:

- Lion Horn of Stormwind is now a level-4 item.
- Items now have 75 hit points, down from 100.
- Clarity Potion, Scroll of Regeneration and Healing Salve are now
dispelled only when a unit under the effect is hit by an attack or an
offensive spell.
They are no longer dispelled by attacking.

Changes to Neutral Buildings, Units and Heroes:

- Forked Lightning has been rebalanced. It now requires a specific unit
target, and hits 3 targets, down from 4/5/6. It also has had its damage
per target changed to 110/180/250 from 125/160/200.
- Frost Arrows now last 5 seconds, down from 6.
- Delayed the initial availability of various mercenaries, such as the
Makrura Snapper and Goblin Shredder.
- The Pandaren Brewmaster has gained 2 Agility, but lost 1 point of
Strength and 1 point of Intelligence.
- Breath of Fire damage reduced to 70/140/190 from 75/150/200.
- Tornado is now a channeling spell, and does 40 points of damage a second
to buildings, up from 20.


Undead Changes:

- Gargoyle anti-air attack increased by roughly 50%.
- Black Sphinx hit points increased to 900 from 800.
- Obsidian Statue's Replenish Life and Spirit Touch abilities have been
rebalanced. They are much stronger now.
- Obsidian Statue mana regeneration increased to 1.25 from .5.
- Locust Swarm damage has increased 25%, but its life drain rate per
attack has been decreased 25%.
- Units created by Animate Dead are now invulnerable. Note that the creep
version of this spell does not create invulnerable versions.
- Units created by Animate Dead only last 60 seconds now, down from 120.
- Carrion Beetle damage increased by 15% at all levels.

Human Changes:

- Devotion now gives 1.5/ 3 / 4.5 armor per level. Note that this
fractional armor will not show up properly on unit information cards,
but will work properly on units in terms of damage reduction. We are
aware of this bug and will fix it at some point in the future.
- Banish range increased to 800 from 600.
- Banish now halves the speed of units rather than reducing it to 1/3 of
their total speed.
- Banish no longer affects mechanical units.
- Flame Strike now costs 135 mana, down from 150 mana.
- Flame Strike area increased to 225 from 200.
- The spell formerly known as Mark of Fire is now known as "Phoenix".
- Phoenix cooldown increased to 180 from 120.
- Phoenix mana cost increased to 175 from 125.
- Phoenixes now shed feathers, which cause both initial damage as well as a
certain amount of damage over time to nearby hostile units. Note that
the graphics and effects of this spell are temporary, though the
functionality is done.
- When a Phoenix dies, it becomes a Phoenix Egg. If the Phoenix Egg is not
destroyed within 10 seconds, the Phoenix will be reborn.
- Phoenixes only lose 10 hp a second now, down from 14 hp a second.
- Casting Phoenix when you already control a Phoenix results in the original
Phoenix's being destroyed, in much the same manner as Feral Spirit.
- Blacksmith cost changed to 140/60 from 120/120.
- Gyrocopters now deal 1d2 + 5 damage to air units, down from 1d2 + 8.
Note that Gyrocopters with the Flak Cannons upgrade are still extremely
effective against other air units.
- Arcane Tower now deals 20 Feedback damage, down from 25.
- Siphon Mana now drains 12/24/36 mana per second, up from 8/16/24 mana per
second.
- Siphon Mana can now be cast at range 600, up from 500, and will keep
draining until the target is at a distance of 850, up from 800.


Night Elf Changes:

- Huntresses are now Light armor (formerly known as Heavy armor).
- Huntress damage increased to 1d3 + 15 from 1d3 + 14.
- Huntress hit points increased to 600 from 550.
- Archer damage reduced to 1d3 + 15 from 1d4 + 18.
- Archer hit points increased to 310 from 260.
- Cyclone no longer affects mechanical units.
- Shadow Strike move speed reduction is now 50% down from 60%.
- Fan of Knives now deals a maximum of 400/750/1075 damage by level, down
from 450/825/1200.
- Entangled units are now unable to attack, though they can still cast
spells.
- Entangle duration on units reduced to 12/24/36, down from 15/30/45.
- Hippogryph anti-air damage increased by roughly 50%.
- Blink no longer works when the Warden is immobilized.

Orc Changes:

- Spirit Link is now a "chaining" spell which affects 3 targets. It also
now costs 100 mana to cast.


Armor System Change:

We have switched around the naming of certain armor types for conceptual
reasons. Heavy armor became Light armor, Medium armor became Heavy armor,
and Light armor became Medium armor.

- Light armor units, most of which are air units, take bonus damage from
Piercing damage.
- Medium armor units, which include basic ranged units such as Archers, as
well as peon-type units, take bonus damage from Normal damage, and
reduced damage from Magic and Piercing damage.
- Heavy armor units, which include both tier-1 and tier-3 melee, take bonus
damage from Magic damage.

Other:

- No Upkeep is now from 0-50 food, Low Upkeep is now from 51-80 food, and
High Upkeep is now from 81-100 food. This change was made to compensate
for the need to have large amounts of lumber-gathering peons.
- Heroes gain more experience from creeps early on, and less once they hit
level 3. Once they hit level 5, Heroes can only gain experience through
killing units controlled by other players.
- Backpack upgrade now requires a shop.
- Ethereal units, which include Banished units and Spirit Walkers in
Ethereal Form, now take 66% bonus damage from spells and magic, down
from 100% bonus damage.
- Units can never move at a speed slower than 150 (roughly 60% the speed
of a Footman). This means that stacking slow effects such as Slow Poison,
Shadow Strike, Slow, etc. will no longer virtually stop units. Note that
Ancients still move very slowly.
- All standard spellcasters have had their mana regeneration increased by
33%. Examples include Druid of the Claw, Sorceress, Witch Doctor and
Necromancer.
- All workers (Peons, Wisps, etc.) now have Medium type armor, which was
formerly known as Light armor. This means that they take bonus damage
from Normal damage, and reduced damage from Piercing and Magic attacks.

Burning feathers, not an angel, Heaven's closed , Hell's sold out.